Digital synthesizer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A digital synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses digital signal processing (DSP)

techniques to make musical sounds. Electronic keyboards make music through sound waves. The
very earliest digital synthesis experiments were made with general-purpose computers, as part of
academic research into sound generation. Early commercial digital synthesizers used simple
hard-wired digital circuitry to implement techniques such as additive synthesis and FM
synthesis, becoming commercially available in the early 1980s. Other techniques, such as
wavetable synthesis and physical modeling, only became possible with the advent of high-speed
microprocessor and digital signal processing technology. One of the earliest commercial digital
synthesizers was the Synclavier.

The Yamaha DX7 was the first commercially successful all-digital synthesizer. It
became indispensable to many music artists of the 1980s. Some digital synthesizers now exist in
the form of "softsynth" software that synthesizes sound using conventional PC hardware, though
they require careful programming and a fast CPU to get the same latency response as their
dedicated equivalents. In order to reduce latency, some professional sound card manufacturers
have developed specialized digital signal processing hardware. Dedicated digital synthesizers
frequently have the advantage of onboard accessibility, with switchable front panel controls to
peruse their functions, whereas software synthesizers trump their dedicated counterparts with
their additional functionality, against the handicap of a mouse-driven control system.

With focus on performance-oriented keyboards and digital computer technology,

manufacturers of commercial electronic instruments created some of the earliest digital
synthesizers for studio and experimental use with computers being able to handle built-in sound
synthesis algorithms.

Difficult word and the meaning :

1. Advent (verb) = Kedatangan

2. counterparts (noun) = Mitra
3. Indispensable (Adjective) = sangat diperlukan
4. additional (noun) = Tambahan
5. Require (verb) = memerlukan
6. Developed (verb) = dikembangkan
7. Manufacturers (noun) = Produsen
8. frequently (Adjective) = sering
9. peruse (Adjective) = membaca dengan teliti
10. Handicap (noun) = Rintangan
 For example, the word above using in sentences :

1. The government prepared extra security to greet the advent Obama.

2. He decided to become counterparts of the Telesindo's company.
3. An expert is Indispensable in handling the machine problem.
4. To serve so many transactions that we need additional tools.
5. to convert sunlight into electricity, we require solar panel at first.
6. Antivirus programs are now increasingly be developed in order to prevent the destruction of
computer data.
7. In general, all goods sold in the market come from major manufacturers.
8. to maintain stability in the processor on the computer we must take care frequently.
9. To determine the results of the analysis, we must peruse the existing data.
10. In embarking on a project we will find many handicap.

According to the text we can make questions including the answer, for example :

1. what can we use to process the digital signals into sound of music?
A digital synthesizer
2. when the first digital synthesizer commercialized?
It becoming commercially available in the early 1980s
3. according to the text, what is the Synclavier?
The earliest commercial digital synthesizers
4. what is the function of Electronic keyboards?
To make music through sound waves
5. why the other techniques, such as wavetable synthesis and physical modeling unavailable
in the 1980s?
because it only became possible with the advent of high-speed microprocessor and
digital signal processing technology
6. what kind of digital synthesizers that became indispensable to many music artists of the
1980s?

The Yamaha DX7

7. what is professional sound card manufacturers do to reduce latency?

They developed specialized digital signal processing hardware
8. what is the purpose of the text?
To inform the reader about digital synthesizer
9. What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
The Yamaha DX7 was the first commercially successful all-digital synthesizer
10. “ Other techniques ” in line 6 refers to?
wavetable synthesis and physical modeling
 references word :

1. “ Other techniques ” in line 6 refers to wavetable synthesis and physical modeling.

2. “ It ” in line 10 refers to Yamaha DX7.
3. “ they ” in line 12 refers to conventional PC hardware.
4. “ their ” in line 17 refers to digital synthesizers.